Bentley EXP 15 gives first glimpse of brand’s all-electric vision

Luxury car maker Bentley has given the first hints of what its electric future will look like with the EXP 15 concept car.

Intended as a showcase for new design, technology and material approaches, the Bentley EXP15 draws design inspiration from the marque’s famous ‘Blue Train’ Speed Six from 1930, and features an all-electric, all-wheel-drive powertrain that will eventually replace its famous V8 and W12 motors.

Bentley says that while the EXP 15 is not intended for production it does provide “hints” to the design of its future models, including its first EV, which will be revealed in 2026 and is expected to go head-to-head with Rolls-Royce’s expanding EV line-up.

The brand’s design director Robin Page said that the concept – which appears to be somewhere between a Mulsanne-style limousine and a Bentayga-style SUV – was an opportunity to explore new approaches to differing customer demands.

He commented: “The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market’s going. It’s clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market – through four generations of the Continental GT – but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it’s changing. Some customers want a classic ‘three-box’ sedan shape, others a ‘one-box’ design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.”

The EXP 15 falls somewhere in between, with raised ride height and a sloped fastback-style roof line but many familiar elements from Bentley’s two- and four-door models.

At the front, slimline vertical LED lights frame a radical new interpretation of Bentley’s famous upright grille. Page said that the upright grille will remain in future EVs, acting as an illuminated piece of “digital art” rather than a means of getting air to an engine. Behind that the EXP 15 maintains the “endless” bonnet line of combustion-engined Bentleys but houses two luggage areas hidden beneath piano-hinged covers inspired by the engine access on the 1930 Bentley Gurney Nutting coupe.

At the rear, the C-pillars pinch in in a boattail style over bulging rear arches, while the tailgate with twin high-level spoilers flows into C-shaped slimline lights which frame a new “Prestigious Shield” housing the badge.

Rather than a traditional four-door, four-seat approach the EXP 15 has a radical three-door, three-seat design inspired by the one-off Blue Train car. The driver’s side features a single door while the passenger side gets a standard front door and rear-hinged back door. These and a section of the panoramic sunroof open to reveal a single seat on the passenger side that slides almost the full length of the cabin and can swivel to make entry and exit easier. In front of that, a “Concertina Floor Storage” system allows the footrests to fold into the floor to create a shallow space for a pet carrier or luggage to be strapped in.

The concept follows the wing-shaped dashboard design common to all modern Bentleys and combines digital and mechanical elements with high-end materials including wood, metal, silk and wool from suppliers to the Royal Family. Page noted: “We think people are going to get fed up with a fully digital experience and are pining for physical mechanical elements too.”

Reflecting this, the EXP 15 features knurled physical controls for many features alongside a digital dashboard display which can be switched off to reveal a wood veneer finish in its place. At the centre of the dashboard, a clock-like device with multiple movable and illuminated “fingers”, nicknamed the ‘Mechanical Marvel’, can indicate the direction of travel, the state of its electric charge and other key data.

Bentley hasn’t given any technical details of the EXP 15’s powertrain apart from confirming it is an all-wheel-drive electric setup. That indicates a two-motor arrangement and given Bentley’s focus on performance as well as luxury we’d expect well in excess of 500bhp. Bentley also promises a “long range and recharging speeds commensurate with the convenience customers have come to expect of a Bentley”. So expect a battery in excess of 100kWh, range north of 300 miles and charging in the region of 300kW or more.